The present invention is directed to an electroplating apparatus for a plate-shaped workpiece, particularly a printed circuit board, which is treated as it is moved in a horizontal direction through a bath of electrolyte solution, which includes at least one endless drive arranged laterally to the path along the edge of the workpiece forming both a conveyor means and having contacting elements for seizing the lateral edge of the workpiece and moving it in a throughput direction along the path.
An electroplating apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,271, whose disclosure is incorporated by reference thereto and which was based on the same German Application as European Patent Application No. 0 254 962. In this patent, forceps-shaped contact clamps are provided as a conveyor and contacting elements in an electroplating apparatus. These contact clamps are secured to an endlessly circulating chain or to an endlessly circulating toothed belt and seize the lateral edges of the workpiece. In addition to providing a cathodic contacting of the workpiece, these forceps-shaped contact clamps simultaneously also serve as dogs of a conveyor means for the horizontal passage of the workpiece through the electroplating solution. Means, that effect the grasping of the lateral edge of the workpiece by the contact clamps, are positioned adjacent the beginning of the path and means, which cause the releasing of the workpiece by the contact clamps, are provided at the end of the conveying path of the plate-shaped workpieces. The contact clamps are shielded from the contact with electrolyte solution by a seal extending laterally along the throughput direction and path, which seals press resiliently against the respective workpieces.